Pep Nogué inaugurates the collection season of the IGP Poma de Girona

The harvest of the first apple of Protected Geographical Indication (PGI) Poma de Girona was inaugurated this Monday, August 20. Pep Nogué chef and food promoter has been the godfather of a symbolic act that took place at the Mas Badia Foundation in Canet de la Tallada and that has served to mark the beginning of the harvest season.

77,540 tons in the Girona counties

According to the data provided by the Fruit Business Association of Catalonia (AFRUCAT) and the Department of Agriculture, Livestock, Fisheries and Alimenation (DARP), the apple harvest in Catalonia is expected to be 273,970 tonnes, which is 1% less than the 276,800 tons that were accounted for in 2017. As regards the counties of Girona, the forecast is for a harvest of 77,540 tons. This figure represents 2% less than the figure of the previous season, 79,320 tons.

Although it is true that the expected production is very stable, in recent years there has been a change in the varietal structure of supply. Thus, while the production of Golden and Red decreases, that of Gala and Fuji increases. The regions of Girona will represent 28% of the kilos produced in Catalonia this season. This 2018 season is characterized by the delay in flowering and harvest due to a colder winter. The rainy spring and hot summer have resulted in higher-caliber fruits with a high level of sugars. One more year, Poma de Girona will offer its consumers a local production, of quality and with a will to produce in a sustainable way.

Llorenç Frigola, president of the PGI Poma de Girona, has assured that “despite being slightly lower, in Catalonia and especially in Girona, due to being close to the sea, the production is very reliable and safe”. Frigola has also explained that work is being done on plans such as GiroReg or Fruit.net that show that “Poma de Girona is adapting to sustainable and proximity production”.

A sustainable production

The opening ceremony of the first block has also served to explain three projects implemented in the PGI Poma de Girona plantations, which aim to continue innovating in the sustainability of production. One, the so-called GiroReg, allows to save between 25 and 30% of water by using probes located under the ground and connected to the internet (loT). These are placed in more than 130 control points of the production zones and allow to know the volume of water that is being used.

Another project that favors sustainability is Fruit.net, which is based on the use of biological methods for the control of pests. Girona is one of only 3 territories in the world with almost 100% of the production surface covered with sexual confusion against carpocapsa, the main pest of manzaneras.

Finally, another of the aspects that have been explained is the varietal renovation of the apples, especially the Gala with color, which have been adapted to be able to acclimate-the best ones at the high summer temperatures.